The invention relates to a clamp with a locking tab to secure a boat windshield and, more particularly, to a clamp that makes boat windshield application and removal simpler, easier and more efficient.
Systems for mounting curved sheet elements to a surface, particularly mounting curved windshields to the deck of a boat, are known. One such mounting system includes an elongated member having upper, intermediate and lower portions where the upper portion includes, in cross-section, a generally channel-shaped receptacle for receiving the lower edge of the curved windshield. The lower portion includes a flat that extends from the intermediate portion at an angle of approximately 45° relative to the base of the channel-shaped upper portion. The intermediate portion includes angularly related portions connected along one edge intermediate of and to the base of the channel while the other angularly related portion extends rearwardly for connection with the flat. The forward portion of the flat terminates in a free edge defining a receptacle for receiving the trim piece with the base of the channel, the intermediate portion and the inside surface of the flat.
In using such a mounting system, it is necessary to bend the elongated member to conform it to the curvature of the lower edge of the glass. In bending the member, however, twisting also occurs, causing the flat to stand up from the deck. That is, the flat will not maintain a flush continuous contact with the deck over the full length of the member. Additionally, the mounting member is secured to the deck by screws disposed through the flat. The compound curvature of the mounting member, however, makes it difficult to mount the screws and secure the mounting member and windshield to the deck. Even after such securement, gaps appear between the mounting member and the deck.
Some boats are using a flush glazed window that hides the bottom trim so that it is not seen from the outside of the boat. Design approaches to achieve this flush glazed look have used either a combination of two bottom trims, one that is mounted to the boat deck and the other that is mounted to the inside of the windshield, or trims that have fixed angles. The first approach is often bulky and requires twice the number of extrusions as a standard mounting system. The second approach is limited in the angle between the windshield and the boat deck such that it is unusable on the boat deck if the angle changes much along the length of the windshield, as most boat windshields do.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,166,725, 8,656,594 and 9,126,656 describe a bottom trim member that secures a windshield on a boat deck. The bottom trim member includes a bottom trim extrusion with a connecting leg affixable to the windshield and a gasket receiving leg. A gasket is disposed in engagement with the gasket receiving leg. The gasket is shaped such that the bottom trim extrusion is positionable in multiple orientations relative to the boat deck and such that the gasket maintains a sealing engagement in any of the bottom trim extrusion multiple orientations. A securing member is affixable to the boat deck and cooperable with the bottom trim extrusion to secure the bottom trim extrusion to the boat deck in any one of the bottom trim extrusion multiple orientations.